~ …give that you may live, for to withhold is to perish. (Adapted from Kahlil Gibran)

Living DRM-free: @Smashwords Difference @moellerjonathan @markcoker

Only yesterday, I dropped into a library to visit with a librarian (that’s where you can find them, usually). We immediately started discussing ebooks and whether we should invest as schools in print books or ebooks.

“Until ebooks shed digital rights management (DRM),” I preached, “we should avoid them in K-12 schools and focus our funding on print books!” I remembered the enewsletter that author Jonathan Moeller (@moellerjonathan) is kind enough to share with his Goodreads readers:

I am pleased to report that FROSTBORN: THE DARK WARDEN, the sixth book in the FROSTBORN series, is now available on Amazon, Amazon UK, Amazon Germany, Amazon Canada,Amazon Australia, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, Apple iTunes, and Smashwords. In FROSTBORN: THE DARK WARDEN, Ridmark Arban at last reaches the cursed citadel of Urd Morlemoch to learn the truth of the Frostborn from the Warden, but the answer to Ridmark’s question might destory him.You can read the first chapter of FROSTBORN: THE THE DARK WARDEN right here.

(BTW, I strongly encourage you to check out Jonathan Moeller’s writing! Awesome stuff!)

As you might guess, I am an avid sci-fi and fantasy book reader. I LOVE to read but what I am thrilled about even more is the ability to get my favorite authors–like Jonathan Moeller–as DRM-free ePubs which work well on my iPad, Nook, or computer. Normally, you’d have to worry about where you can read your ebook, whether you can back it up…but with vendors like Smashwords, you don’t have to–they offer your ebooks in DRM-free formats:

Smashwords is a virtual playground for those who love the written word. Readers can sample most works for free (and in many cases, read up to half of the book before they commit to a purchase decision); read in multiple DRM-free formats; create digital libraries of purchased and sampled works; publish reviews (including YouTube video book reviews); and “favorite” their favorite authors, publishers and works. (Read more about Smashwords)

I can certainly attest to the value of Smashwordsand wished more of my favorite authors–in addition to Jonathan Moeller–would publish their books via Smashwords.

In the meantime, if you’re wondering what I’m doing in lieu of blogging, this may serve as a clue…